Washington, D.C. — Former Meta executive turned whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams delivered explosive testimony before the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, alleging that the tech giant formerly known as Facebook knowingly targeted emotionally vulnerable teens with advertisements to maximize profits. Wynn-Williams, who served as the Director of Global Public Policy at Facebook, recently released a tell-all book titled Careless People, detailing what she describes as a “shocking level of apathy” from Meta leadership — including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg — about the real-world harm caused by their platform.
Targeting Teens Based on Mental Health
During the hearing, held by the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) questioned Wynn-Williams about Meta’s history with adolescent users. The whistleblower confirmed that between the ages of 13 and 17, users were targeted by advertisers when Facebook’s algorithms detected emotional distress.
“It could identify when they were feeling worthless or helpless or like a failure,” Wynn-Williams testified. “And Meta would take that information and share it with advertisers.”
She cited scenarios where teens might delete a selfie — an act often linked to self-esteem issues — triggering ads for beauty or weight loss products. This kind of advertising, she explained, preyed on teenage insecurity, particularly around body image and confidence. Meta’s internal data allegedly flagged this age group as both “vulnerable” and “highly profitable”, with one executive even telling Wynn-Williams the company should be “trumpeting it from the rooftops” that it has access to the most valuable demographic for advertisers.
Adults Targeted Too — Internal Chats Reveal More
Although Wednesday’s hearing primarily focused on Meta’s dealings with China, it quickly pivoted to broader concerns about data misuse. A leaked internal screenshot, shown during the session, revealed Facebook also researched young mothers’ emotional states for potential advertising gains. In the chat, a policy director confirmed such research existed, joking that they’d ask their “morally bankrupt colleagues” if other data sets were available. This adds weight to the suspicion that emotional exploitation wasn’t limited to teens — it extended to other emotionally susceptible groups as well.
Silicon Valley’s Hypocrisy?
Perhaps one of the most damning observations came when Wynn-Williams noted that many Meta executives wouldn’t allow their own children to use Facebook or Instagram.
“I would ask, ‘Oh, has your teen tried the new product?’” she said. “And they’d respond, ‘My teenagers are not allowed on Facebook.’”
This revelation echoes earlier findings from the by The Wall Street Journal, which also exposed Meta’s internal knowledge of how Instagram negatively affects teen mental health.
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